Sunday, April 2, 2017

1 Child dead, 11 others poisoned by C02 at hotel privateofficer.com

NILES, MI. April 2 2017 A malfunctioning pool heater
at a Niles caused a carbon monoxide leak that killed a teenager and sent 11
others to the hospital, officials said.

13-year-old Bryan Douglas Watts died when en-route
to the hospital. Six other children, ranging 12-14 years of age, were sent to
area hospitals. They're all expected to make a full recovery.

Just before 10 a.m. on Saturday, police and fire
crews responded to the hotel on South 11th Street.

Hotel staff members called 911 after they walked by
a window and saw six children unresponsive on the pool deck.

A seventh child was later found initially
unresponsive and not breathing in a first-floor hotel room. Officials say the
young girl was in the pool room just before the incident occurred. Medics were
eventually able to revive her.

Carbon monoxide levels were later found to be 16
times the safe limit.

Investigators confirmed there was no carbon monoxide
detector in the pool area.

Niles Fire Captain Don Wise said that this is one of
the most tragic events he has witnessed in his 30-year career.

"To have six youths…that just takes it into a
whole different category,” he said. “I hope I never have one of these
again."

Francine Saunders was staying at the hotel at the
time of the incident and witnessed the children when they were unresponsive.

"I couldn't even see them breathing," she
recalled.

Dimetrius Butler, a victim of the carbon monoxide
poisoning and friend of Watts remembers the events that occurred immediately
before he became unresponsive.

"I was out of the pool and I passed out and I
hit my head," he said.

Two Niles police officers, two Berrien County
Sheriff's deputy, as well as one hotel employee were also taken to the
hospital.

The law enforcement officers have been released, but
at last check, the employee was still being treated.

The hotel had approximately 24 rooms booked at the
time and all guests and staff were evacuated from the building. Currently, the
hotel has been closed for occupancy while the investigation continues.

Choice Hotels, the owner of Quality Inn, said their
"thoughts are with the families affected." The hotel is owned and
operated by an independent franchisee.

A memorial has been set up outside the hotel in
remembrance of Watts' life.WDNU